Tips for Leadership and Career Growth

When people ask how I think about career growth, I could give a half-hour talk with slides and charts. But stripped down to the essentials, these five pillars consistently unlock fast, meaningful growth in any company — in my own career and in the careers of people I’ve led. 1. Performance. Deliver results consistently, on time, and with care. Do what you say you’ll do, and do it well. Reliability builds trust; and trust is the foundation of new opportunities. 2. Potential. Show you can take on more. Think beyond your role, offer perspective, connect dots, and pitch in where the team needs it most. Be the person others count on when it matters. 3. Ownership. Solve for what’s best for the business as a whole. Anticipate problems, make decisions, and follow through in ways that set the entire company up for success. 4. Attitude. This can accelerate or stall a career faster than almost anything else. Bring energy, curiosity, and solutions. Face challenges with a mindset focused on possibilities rather than limitations. Avoid toxic behaviors like gossip or constant negativity. They waste time, drain energy, and erode trust. A positive, constructive presence makes you the person others want in the room. 5. Adaptability + Innovation. Especially in this era of AI transformation. Keep evolving. Learn new tools. Experiment. The people who embrace change, stay curious, and find smarter ways to work will rise the fastest. The leaders of tomorrow are building these muscles today, and they’ll be the ones who shape the future of their companies.

If I was trying to figure out my next career move, here’s exactly what I’d do. 1 – Get feedback. Ask 5–10 people you’ve worked with: • What do I do best? • Where do I add the most value? • What skills should I double down on? • Where do you see my blind spots? Growth starts with perspective and others often see what we can’t. 2 – Audit your energy. For one week, track your tasks. Which ones drain you? Which ones light you up? Growth isn’t about doing more—it’s about doing more of the right things. 3 – Research like an insider. Follow people in the roles you want. Read industry news. Notice the skills and trends that keep surfacing. Growth happens faster when you know what the field values. 4 – Talk to people—curiously. Set a goal: one new conversation a week for the next month. Not “Do you have a job for me?” but: “I’m curious about your role, your industry, and how you got here.” Focus on people who either: • Have the kind of job you want, or • Work at companies you’d love to join. Curiosity kills the awkwardness because it’s about them, not your ask. 5 – Skill up with intention. Don’t chase every certification. Pick 1–2 areas that come up in both your feedback and your conversations. Growth isn’t about collecting badges. It’s about building the skills that matter most. 6 – Tell your story. Frame your experience as a growth story: where you started, what you’ve learned, what you’re building toward. That clarity makes people see your potential—and it keeps you moving forward. Because here’s the truth: clarity about what’s next doesn’t just drop out of the sky. It comes from doing the work of growth: listening, experimenting, reflecting, and repeating until the next step becomes obvious. That’s how I approach growth as a leader: not just developing myself, but equipping others to grow too. 📣 What would you add to this list? 📣 I’m Jessica, and I help leaders become more growth-oriented (for themselves and for their teams!). Follow along if you want more practical ways to grow yourself and the people you lead.

The Unsaid Rules of the Workplace. No one talks about them. But everyone expects you to know. And understanding them early can alter the trajectory of your career. Here are a few I have seen consistently across industries, cultures, and leadership levels: 1. The meeting before the meeting often decides the outcome. A quick alignment near the coffee machine, a brief word in the elevator – these shape the direction long before the formal meeting begins. The meeting only formalizes what’s already been agreed. 2. Your behaviour under pressure becomes your brand. People may forget your presentation. They will never forget how you made them feel when things got tough. Your emotional footprint travels everywhere you go. 3. If you don’t set your priorities and boundaries, others will set them for you. And once that happens, you spend years defending limits that weren’t even yours. Clarity isn’t rigidity – it’s empowering yourself to deliver your best. 4. Communication quietly shapes your reputation. How you express ideas, how you listen, how you respond – every interaction builds (or breaks) the narrative around you. Everything counts, especially the small moments. 5. Opportunities aren’t always announced. They are observed. Leaders notice who leans in, who takes initiative, who solves problems instead of escalating them. They notice who steps up without being asked. None of these appear in any handbook. But they often define how careers truly progress. Learn the work. Learn the culture. Learn the unsaid rules. That’s where careers really accelerate. #Leadership #CareerGrowth #WorkplaceCulture

My daughter knows I love lists. So recently, she suggested I develop a top 10 list of career truths I could offer anyone looking to pivot their career journey in the right direction. Here is a list of tips I encourage you to think about:   #1. Achieving a reasonable work/life balance can never be accomplished alone. The people you work with need to know and respect your boundaries and limitations. If they don’t abide by them, it’s their problem. They are likely stressed and burned out themselves.   #2. You must advocate for a new role, promotion, or more money. If you have a leader who prioritizes your needs, consider yourself lucky. Unfortunately, many leaders are usually too focused on advocating for themselves.  #3. Politics will often play a significant role in most organizations. People in offices build alliances, bring their friends in, and form “cliques.” If you don’t learn early how to navigate the political minefields, you will pay for it professionally   #4. Never confuse maximum effort with perfection. Maximum effort is doing the best you can do. Perfection is trying to do the best you can NEVER do. #5. The best leaders channel their ambition back into the organization and their teams rather than use it for their status. Their primary focus is the well-being of the team. They are more concerned about the goal than the role. #6. If your job means you get to pursue your passion, you are very fortunate. Focus on following your values, and you will be much happier. Pursuing a passion is a luxury; pursuing your values is a necessity. #7. Learn to embrace and amplify your value proposition at every point in your career. If you let others define your value, it will likely be less than you are worth.   #8. Self-confidence matters. Confidence is not about thinking you are better than anybody else. It’s about realizing you have no reason to compare yourself to anyone else. Avoid the comparison trap. #9. There is tremendous benefit in stretching yourself and being uncomfortable on purpose. Discomfort is a catalyst for growth. Most of us don’t learn this until later in our careers. Breaking your mold early in your career will pay huge dividends. #10. The biggest challenge in our careers is overcoming the self-defeating beliefs we allow to reside in our heads. Battling the narrative we create about our strengths, instincts, and ourselves may be the biggest hurdle we face. Which ones do you identify with the most?

“If my people want to grow, they’ll speak up.” “If I keep my head down and work hard, my boss will notice.” Both are common assumptions — and both can lead to missed opportunities, unmet expectations, and frustrated teams. The truth? Most people aren't taught how to advocate for themselves at work. They don’t always know what they can ask for, and they may be worried about being seen as too ambitious, too demanding, or not loyal to their current role. So they keep their heads down, hoping someone will notice their potential. At the same time, many leaders are juggling too much. They’re not intentionally ignoring career development — but without clear signals from their team, it can easily fall off their radar. 💣 Growth and development don’t just happen. And it’s not something a leader or company can own alone. It’s a shared responsibility — and it starts with the employee. But leaders play a critical role. We have to create the space for real conversations — not just during performance reviews or when someone's struggling. * Ask your people what they’re interested in and where they want to grow. * Invite them to take on stretch opportunities. * Don’t assume you know what they want — co-create a growth and development plan with them. That's how you grow talent, build trust, and create teams that thrive — not just perform. And as employees, we need to take the lead on our own career development: * Get clear on what lights you up. * Don't wait to be tapped on the shoulder. * If you’re curious about a skill, a path, or a project — speak up. Your manager isn’t a mind-reader, and you don’t want to be passed over just because someone else raised their hand first. ✳️ Great leaders don’t build careers for people. They build them with people. ✳️ And great employees don’t expect growth to be handed to them. They take ownership — and invite others to help them get there. Who do you think owns growth and development — the employee, the leader, or the organization?

Just like your health, you need to be your own advocate in your career. Two weeks ago, I fell while running — first time in 15 years. I landed hard on my wrist in an attempt to catch my fall. Urgent care told me it was “probably just a sprain. If it’s still hurting in a week, see your primary.” My primary said the same. “It’s probably a bad sprain. If it still hurts in a week, see ortho”. But the pain didn’t go away. So I pushed for more answers. The ortho ran new tests — turns out I had two fractures. Here’s the lesson: if I had kept waiting, trusting the wrong advice, my injury could have gotten worse. The same thing happens in leadership careers. You’re told: “Just wait, your promotion will come.” “Keep doing what you’re doing, leadership will notice.” “Don’t rock the boat.” And then years pass. You’re still in the same role. Still waiting. Leaders who grow: * Expand their network with intention. * Build visibility around their impact. * Ask for feedback and act on it. * Align their work to the organization’s highest priorities. * Prepare for the next role before it’s posted. * Reflect regularly on what leadership legacy they want to create. Just as with your health, to reach the next level, you need to advocate for it, prepare for it, and lead toward it. #executivecoaching #executivecoaching #executivesandmanagement #management #leadershipdevelopment

The secret to career growth? The most successful combine two qualities most see as opposites: Fierce ambition and genuine humility. We’re taught you have to choose one: ambition or humility. But I see the opposite every day. In my career and in coaching women leaders, I’ve watched brilliant professionals plateau… not because of lack of talent, but because they lean too far into one trait and neglect the other. Here’s why the balance matters: – Unchecked ambition leads to arrogance and, sometimes, costly mistakes. – Too much humility can mean you’re overlooked, even when you deserve recognition. So, how do you thread the needle? ⓵ Set bold goals, then invite feedback. ➙ Share your vision without hesitation—and then ask, “What am I missing?” ⓶ Claim your achievements—no apologies. ➙ Replace “I just got lucky” with “I worked hard for this.” Give credit to your team, but don’t downplay your own impact. ⓷ Volunteer for high-visibility projects, and share the spotlight. ➙ Step up for challenging work, then be first to acknowledge others’ contributions. ⓸ Make decisive calls, then review outcomes with curiosity. ➙ Own your choices fully. And after, look back objectively at what worked and what didn’t. ⓹ Know your worth in salary talks. ➙ Do your homework, ask for what you’ve earned, and always frame it around the value you bring. The best leaders I’ve coached learned to do both: Swing big, then learn fast. When I work with women aiming for VP or C-suite roles, nailing this balance is often what unlocks the next level. If you’re ready to try: – Next time you achieve something significant, try this: state your contribution clearly (no minimizing!), and then share what you’re still working to improve. PS: Which feels tougher for you—showing ambition or demonstrating humility? ♻️ Repost to help ambitious women grow their careers—without losing their voice or authenticity. 💬 Want help applying this to your leadership journey? My DMs are open.

What if career growth wasn’t just about luck, but about following proven strategies? These actionable steps helped immensely in my career growth. 1. Excel in Your Current Role (Most Critical): Consistently meet or exceed expectations. A proven track record builds the foundation for future opportunities. 2. Align with Organization Goals: Understand your organization’s top priorities and demonstrate how your work contributes directly to them. 3. Seek Feedback Actively: Ask for constructive insights and act on them. This commitment to growth truly makes a difference. 4. Develop New Skills: Invest in training and learning opportunities to stay current with industry trends and keep your skills sharp. 5. Network Internally: Build relationships across departments. Gaining visibility beyond your immediate team shows you’re a collaborative team player. 6. Volunteer for New Assignments: Step up to take on responsibilities beyond your current role. Initiative today can lead to larger opportunities tomorrow. 7. Express Your Career Aspirations: Have open conversations with your manager about your professional interests and goals. It’s not just about a promotion—it’s about sharing where you see your future and how you plan to contribute to the company’s success. 8. Mentoring: Seek mentors to accelerate your learning and also become a mentor to others to support their growth. 9. Maintain Integrity and Authenticity: Express your genuine views respectfully. Authenticity sets you apart and builds lasting trust. 10. Stay Resilient and Patient: Career growth takes time. Keep delivering excellence and demonstrating your value—the results will follow. What strategies have helped you achieve your career goals? I’d love to hear your story! #leadership #career #technology

30 Career Growth Tips for 2026 You Can Actually Use These aren’t theories—they’re practical steps that can help you grow fast: Protect your time — stop saying yes to everything. Ask for feedback — don’t wait for it. Celebrate your wins — even the small ones matter. Keep learning — one new skill every few months keeps you sharp. Network — your next opportunity might come from someone you know. Take smart risks — growth happens outside your comfort zone. Track your progress — measure to improve. Create opportunities — don’t wait for them to appear. Be visible — share what you’re working on. Find a mentor — someone who’s been where you want to go. Stay curious — ask questions, explore ideas. Build a personal brand — online and offline. Focus on results, not just activity. Keep skills future-proof — AI, automation, new tech matter. Read daily — even 20 minutes counts. Listen more than you speak. Own your mistakes — accountability builds respect. Show initiative — don’t wait to be told. Stay adaptable — industries change fast. Keep LinkedIn updated — opportunities appear online. Build a side project — it might become your main career. Ask questions that matter. Learn to handle rejection. Help others grow — mentoring shows leadership. Focus on impact, not just hours worked. Review goals monthly — adjust, don’t drift. Surround yourself with ambitious people — energy is contagious. Take care of your health — avoid burnout. Remember why you started — clarity keeps you going. Apply even a few of these consistently, and you’ll see real growth in your career in 2026.

My Leadership career transformed by doing this: I used to solve every problem myself. And this caused me to burn out. Then I started mentoring and coaching my team. And it shifted everything. When you lift others up, Life has a way of helping you succeed. Most leaders try to be indispensable. Smart leaders make others capable. My experience in the C-suite taught me this: 1.Delegate meaningful projects, not just busy work. 2. Share your network to help team members grow their careers. 3. Ask "How can I support your goals?" Then actually follow through. 4. Remember their career aspirations And create opportunities for them. 5. Highlight their wins in leadership meetings. 6. Celebrate their promotions like personal victories. 7. Teach them skills that make them more valuable. 8. Shield them from unnecessary politics and drama No complex leadership theories. No management tactics. Just developing your people. The transformation was incredible. My stress dropped, my team flourished, and my own career accelerated faster than ever. The more you help others become leaders, the more your influence grows. If you want to increase your influence as a leader, this will help you out : read.drdegnan.com